I have always loved looking at my family tree and learning about my ancestors. Hearing their stories, looking at the old sepia toned photos and seeing the links between them and me really gives me a great sense of family and heritage. I find it intriguing. Facebook has made it even more amazing, meeting a distant cousin who has linked back my great grandmother Rose's line a few generations in Italy. Now instead of pages and pages cataloging your family tree, there is a family fan that you can see all your ancestors linked to you on one page. I can't wait to fill mine in and maybe even hang it up!

Photo 1: My great grandmother Rose (whom i get my middle name from). Doesn't she look so loving and warm? Photo 2: and my mother and my gorgeous grandmother.

dont know your family history or where to start? start somewhere likefamily search.org (free) or ancestory.com. You'll be surprised at how much you will find. Watch out! Its addicting once you start....

Cyclamen persicum, or Florist’s Cyclamen, is a common winter flowering plant found in many stores and florists. It is a tuberous plant native to the Eastern Mediterranean area. They come in a variety of shades from white, to red and many hues of pink. My favorite thing is their heart shaped leaves (above) which is perfect for a valentine's day gift. Cyclamen are a breath of fresh spring air in the dead of winter. Their flowers are very fragrant and showy. So fragrant that my girls wont stop sniffing them.

Blooming: Plants will bloom from mid-winter to spring. Cyclamen like bright indirect light while flowering. They go through a summer dormancy when they do not flower and prefer to be kept out of bright light. You can the break dormancy and stimulate it's winter flowering period again starting in the fall.

DIY Valentine's day gift!!!cyclamen potted in vintage milk glass

... create your own valentine's gift by dressing up a common cyclamen from the store. Add a little sheet moss (available in most craft stores) and pot it up in a thrifted vintage milk glass planter like my hobnail one. If you don't have the time for thrifting, you can find many vintage milk glass planters on etsy here.

flores del sol is also celebrating the 600th sale! Take off 10% today by using the code 600sale at check out!!!! not valid on custom orders.

the dead of winter. plants are dried and dark. my girls' cheeks are rosy and plump. little penny loved watching her sisters run and make snow angels, i did too. After, we sipped frothy hot cocoa from our cocoa latte and warmed our frost bitten fingers back up. I keep thinking about the bulbs raquel and I planted in the autumn. They are nestled in the soil frozen and waiting for the warmth of the sun. It's kinda how I feel too.

a little valentine art I found when Clare from tastesorangy made a purchase from my shop. Her work is superb. It brings on feelings of nostalgia from my own romance. I adore how the red flowers in this bottom piece, honeymoon, look like hearts. Do you make big plans for valentines or are you more of a celebrate our love all year type? I undoubtedly will be working and my hands will be sore from all the thorny roses that will pass through them. Felipe and I usually end up celebrating valentine's the weekend before or after due to it.

7- tier necklace by odette, ny a girl can dream right?8- cover girl outlast double lip shine in candy apple red. I love it, it lasts all day and doesn't get on my girls cheeks as I smooch them all day.9- white birch forest topography, organic wood wall art- by urban plus forest10- gold zag tray- by up in the air somewhere11- Downton Abbey drama series. Amazing. More I posted about it here. Are you watching the new season?!??12- Persian rug pillows- by old new house 13- New Girl tv show, kinda like a new friends. I find schmidt funny funny and jess "adorkable"14- Jane Eyre, the movie! I had just finished reading the classic Jane Eyre last winter and found out there was a new movie coming out! It was very well done, a fun girls night out and I highly recommend it.

I am back from a wonderful vacation and ready to hit this new year full on! Yesterday I finally put some goals down on paper for the year which is something that I normally don't take part in. This year I felt like I need some welcome change and what better way than starting at the new year to help motivate myself. I will be back soon with my favorites of 2011.

I love all things green. Succulent leaves, interesting textures, soft moss. I am a professional floral designer who has created a way to work artistically and still be home with my little girls. Fresh from the garden state, flores del sol.

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Flower aficionado Christina Moreno is part horticulture expert, part floral designer. Her extensive knowledge of the botanical world is evident, from musings on her own botanical finds, to interesting and timely tidbits like the history of the royal wedding bouquet. Drawing on her love of all things vintage, Moreno also creates surprisingly modern arrangements made of dried flowers and moss in her Etsy shop.-elle decor.com